398 MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



u Poor Wax ! " observed Quod ; " he's a big fool, to give him 

 his due." 



" If you give him his due it's more than he gives other people, 

 it seems," observed Miss Howard. 



" Oh, fie, Miss H. ! " exclaimed Captain Seedeybuck. 



" Well, but the (hiccup) man must have a (hiccup) bed some- 

 where," observed Sir Harry ; adding to the footman, " you'd 

 better (hiccup) the door open, you know." 



" Perhaps you'd better try what one of yours will do," observed 

 Bob Spangles, to the convulsion of the company. 



In the midst of their mirth Mr. Bottleends was seen piloting 

 Mr. Sponge up to her ladyship. 



" Mr. Sponge, my lady," said he, in as low and deferential a tone 

 as if he got his wages punctually every quarter-day. 



" How do you do, Mr. Sponge ? " said her ladyship, tendering 

 him her hand with an elegant curtsy. 



" How are you, Mr. (hiccup) Sponge ? " asked Sir Harry, 

 offering his ; " I believe you know the (hiccup) company ? " con- 

 tinued he, waving his hand around ; " Miss (hiccup) Glitters, 

 Captain (hiccup) Quod, Captain Bouncey, Mr. (hiccup) Bugles, 

 Captain (hiccup) Seedeybuck, and so on ; " whereupon Miss 

 Glitters curtsied, the gentlemen bobbed their heads and drew near 

 our hero, who had now stationed himself before the fire. 



" Coldish, to-night," said he, stooping and placing both hands 

 to the bars. "Coldish," repeated he, rubbing his hands and 

 looking around. 



" It generally is about this time of year, I think," observed Miss 

 Glitters, who was quite ready to enter for our friend. 



" Hope it won't stop hunting," said Mr. Sponge. 



" Hope not," replied Sir Harry ; " would be a bore if it did." 



" I wonder you gentlemen don't prefer hunting in a frost," 

 observed Miss Howard ; " one would think it would be just the 

 time you'd want a good warming." 



" I don't agree with you, there," replied Mr. Sponge, looking 

 at her, and thinking she was not nearly so pretty as Miss Glitters. 



" Do you hunt to-morrow ? " asked he of Sir Harry, not having 

 been able to obtain any information at the stables. 



" (Hiccup) to-morrow ? Oh, I dare say we shall," replied Sir 

 Harry, who kept his hounds as he did his carnages, to be used 

 when wanted. " Dare say we shall," repeated he. 



But though Sir Harry spoke thus encouragingly of their pros- 

 pects, he took no steps, as far as Mr. Sponge could learn, to carry 

 out the design. Indeed, the subject of hunting was never once 

 mentioned, the conversation after dinner, instead of being about 

 the Quorn, or the Pytchley, or Jack Thompson with the Ather- 

 stone, turning upon the elegance and lighting of the Casinos in 



